Tangy Rosemary and Tomato Sauce

Fresh rosemary adds its piny perfume to this intensely flavored tomato sauce.

• 
  
  1 Tbs. olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup minced shallot
  
  


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  1/4 cup minced carrot
  
  


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  1/4 cup minced celery
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


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  2 Tbs. tomato paste
  
  


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  1/2 cup sherry vinegar
  
  


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  1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
  


• 
  
  3-1/2 cups unsalted or lower-salt beef stock or broth; more as needed
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbs. cool water
  
  


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  1/4 cup drained capers, rinsed and chopped
  
  


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  2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


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  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, carrot, celery, and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium low, add the tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste has thickened and is a few shades darker, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, turn the heat up to high, and boil gently until thick again, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the stock and the rosemary, bring to a boil, and boil gently until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups, about 25 minutes.

Whisk in half of the cornstarch slurry and simmer, whisking, for a minute. For a thicker sauce, whisk in a bit more of the slurry; if the sauce is too thick, add a little more stock. (If making the sauce ahead, take it off the heat, let cool, and refrigerate for up to 1 day; reheat gently.) Whisk in the capers, parsley, and butter until incorporated and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Quick Marinara with Toasted Garlic and Rosemary

There’s no need to open a jar of sauce when you can whisk this homemade creation together in the time it takes to cook a pot of pasta. This is a large batch, so use the extra as a base for stews, pizzas, and sautés. It will also keep in the freezer for at least three months.

• 
  
  Two 28-oz. cans plum tomatoes with their juices (6 cups) (preferably San Marzano)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. olive oil
  
  


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  3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
  
  


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  1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  
  


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  1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  
  


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  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


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  1 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)
  
  

Strain off and discard 1/2 cup of the tomatoes’ juices (this will give the sauce a thicker consistency).Heat the oil and garlic in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until the garlic sizzles steadily and turns golden brown in places, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary and red pepper flakes; reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their remaining juices, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors meld and the sauce reduces slightly. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a regular blender, purée the sauce. Taste the sauce and season with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if needed. If too acidic, add the sugar. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze in zip-top bags or airtight containers.

Tangy Rosemary and Tomato Sauce

Fresh rosemary adds its piny perfume to this intensely flavored tomato sauce.

• 
  
  1 Tbs. olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup minced shallot
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup minced carrot
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup minced celery
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. tomato paste
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup sherry vinegar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
  


• 
  
  3-1/2 cups unsalted or lower-salt beef stock or broth; more as needed
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbs. cool water
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup drained capers, rinsed and chopped
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, carrot, celery, and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium low, add the tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste has thickened and is a few shades darker, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, turn the heat up to high, and boil gently until thick again, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the stock and the rosemary, bring to a boil, and boil gently until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups, about 25 minutes.

Whisk in half of the cornstarch slurry and simmer, whisking, for a minute. For a thicker sauce, whisk in a bit more of the slurry; if the sauce is too thick, add a little more stock. (If making the sauce ahead, take it off the heat, let cool, and refrigerate for up to 1 day; reheat gently.) Whisk in the capers, parsley, and butter until incorporated and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Rustic Rosemary Tarts

The whole rosemary leaves on this rich tart crisp up as it bakes.

• 
  
  3 oz. Bûcheron goat cheese (or fresh goat cheese)
  
  


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  3 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  
  


• 
  
  All-purpose flour, for dusting
  
  


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  1 lemon
  
  


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  3 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves
  
  


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  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Thinly slice the cheese and then crumble and tear it into a small bowl. If the cheese has a rind, make sure it's torn into small pieces. Add the cream and mash together with a fork until combined.

Roll the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 12x17-inch rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the pastry in half lengthwise and then cut a 3/4-inch strip off all 4 edges of each piece of pastry. Transfer the two large pieces of pastry to a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Dip a pastry brush in water and brush a 3/4-inch border around each large piece of pastry. Stack the trimmed strips of pastry onto the damp dough, creating a border all the way around.

Dollop and spread the cheese mixture inside the borders of each pastry. Evenly grate the zest of the lemon over the cheese. Scatter the rosemary leaves and grind a little pepper evenly over the top. Bake the tarts until puffed and deep golden brown on the top and golden on the bottom, about 17 minutes, rotating the pan half way through baking. Cut each tart into 3 or 4 pieces and serve hot.

Tuscan Roast Pork with Yellow Potatoes, Fennel, and Parsnips

For this slow roast, the potatoes and vegetables are precooked so they come out perfectly tender when the pork loin is done. The rosemary, coriander, fennel seeds, and other Tuscan flavors rubbed over the pork also season the juice it releases, which creates a delicious jus for serving.

• 
  
  1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


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  2 Tbs. sambuca
  
  


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  4 large cloves garlic, minced
  
  


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  2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  
  


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  2 tsp. dried fennel seeds, crushed
  
  


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  1 tsp. ground coriander
  
  


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  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 3-lb. boneless pork loin (have your butcher leave 1/8 inch fat on the top)
  
  


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  1-1/2 lb. small yellow potatoes (about 10), halved
  
  


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  3 medium parsnips, peeled, cut lengthwise into quarters, and cored
  
  


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  2 medium sweet onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  
  


• 
  
  1 large fennel bulb, stalks trimmed, bulb quartered, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices (fronds reserved)
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup dry white wine
  
  

In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. each of the oil and sambuca with the garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, coriander, 1-1/2 Tbs. salt, and 3/4 tsp. pepper to make a paste; set aside.

Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Rub the paste over the entire roast. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the potatoes, parsnips, onions, and fennel in a 13x17-inch (or similar) roasting pan, season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper, and drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Roast, turning occasionally, until a fork inserted in the center of each type of vegetable meets little resistance, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the roast from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Put the roast, fat side up, on top of the vegetables. Add the chicken broth and wine, and roast, basting the meat and vegetables occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the roast registers 135°F to 140°F, about 2 hours.

Transfer the roast to a serving platter or carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a large sheet of foil; wrap and keep warm in the turned-off oven.

Pour the juice from the roasting pan into a fat separator and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Pour the clear juice into a 1-quart saucepan, leaving the fat behind, and put over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. sambuca and simmer until the jus is slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the pork on a platter with the vegetables, garnish with the fennel fronds, and serve with the jus on the side.